2023 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Perilune Sta. Rita Hills

Raised 15 months in 100% neutral oak barrels, the 2023 Chardonnay Perilune offers exotic citrus, kumquat, flower oil, and chalky, crushed stone and oyster shell nuances. Incredibly complex, medium-bodied, and layered, with beautifully integrated acidity and a clean, crisp, yet rich and lengthy finish, it's a remarkable Chardonnay in the vintage to drink over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035. Greg Brewer has stayed laser-focused on site expression in the Sta. Rita Hills, fermenting everything with 100% whole clusters and aging exclusively in neutral oak, with the goal of keeping the spotlight on the vineyards. Looking at the vineyards, 3D sits along the Santa Rosa Road corridor between Lafond and Ampelos and is typically one of the brighter, more mineral-driven wines in the range, and I always find a certain saline edge and remarkable balance from this site. Machado lies on sandy clay loam just north of Clos Pepe, west of Buellton, and while the Chardonnay here tends to be racy and mineral-driven, the Pinot Noir is broader and more opulent and always a big wine. Hapgood sits directly across the road from Machado and is planted on sandier soils, which tend to bring more depth and structure; both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this site show savory, marine-like nuances, and they’re a beautiful expression of the Sta. Rita Hills. A relatively new site from Brewer, Perilune sits north of Melville and spans varied elevations and soils, from sand to botella clay. The wines from this vineyard, whether Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Syrah, all share an exotic, layered profile with a distinctive saline and marine influence. Across the board, the 2023s show the acids, minerality, and transparency paired with serious richness that have made Brewer-Clifton a reference point for Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In short, don’t miss these wines.

The 2023 Chardonnay Perilune delivers a whisper of stylistic flinty reduction that highlights its sexy base layer of creamy stone fruit. Mouthwateringly juicy and impeccably focused, the 2023 impresses with its palate presence and calibrated balance. The It's an inherently rich white that makes all the right moves to keep it between the lines. Gorgeous.